Pact of negation

I'm a little confused how to handle this situation with the new missed trigger rules (i've done a quick search but found nothing related to this).

Player A uses pact of negation, and on his next upkeep he forgots the trigger. Player B, aware of that, just waits for Player A to keep playing and when he taps to cast something, he reminds the trigger and since A has no way to pay the cost he loses.

My questions:

- Since he missed the trigger on the upkeep should he lose at the draw step?
- Can player B ask to the trigger be placed on the stack anytime (till the end of the turn, or next upkeep?)
- Should player A lose the game when the trigger is placed and get a warning for a missed trigger?

thank you.

I believe (although I'm sure a higher level judge will answer better than I can):

- Since the trigger was missed, Player B should call a judge. If caught within a turn cycle (i.e. before Player B's upkeep), I believe since Pact of Negation has a default action (If you don't…), the default action should be resolved immediately without using the stack; that is, Player A should immediately lose the game. Player A should receive a Warning for missing a detrimental trigger.

Source: Infraction Procedure Guide, Page 7, Page 8

Edited Christopher Heskett (Jan. 21, 2013 10:11:21 PM)

When the Pacts first saw play, we realized it was necessary to change one rule - the one that prevented you from putting anything on top of your library. The MTR was updated, and players are now allowed to put something (not a card) on top of their library (but not obscuring the library). Personally, I have this rather large skull that reminds me “pay the Pact or you're dead!”

From the IPG, 2.1, re: Missed Trigger: “A trigger is considered missed once the controller of the trigger has taken an action after the point at which a trigger should have resolved…”

Once the player has drawn for the turn, they've “taken an action after {Pact} should have resolved”. So, what do we do?

“If the trigger specifies a default action associated with a choice made by the controller of the trigger (usually ”If you don't …“ or ”… unless“), resolve the default action immediately without using the stack.”

This precedes any text re: having the opponent choose whether or not to put the trigger on the stack; that means we apply this part of the remedy.

Thanks! – Scott Marshall, Magic Judge NetRep, L5, Denver
Seen our wiki? <http://wiki.internationalmagicjudges.net>
Looking for something (judge-related)? <http://www.internationalmagicjudges.net/>

I had to read this answer a few times to get the gist of it… the “this” in, “that means we apply this part of the remedy” is referring to resolving the default action, right? I.e. the player loses?

Correct, Adam. Since the trigger has a default action if the player doesn't pay, we resolve the default action without using the stack, so in this case, the player would lose the game.

Sorry for the confustication, folks! And yes, as Casey said, we resolve the default action.

Thanks - Scott “too brief for his own good?” Marshall